Cute and fun romance! I loved this book, it was sweet and fun. I love a good regency's twist. Totally recommend!

I received an eARC of "Sixteen Scandals" through NetGalley and HMH.

If you want "Bridgerton" meets "Sixteen Candles" (without the really creepy, questionable parts) this is the book for you.

As the youngest of four daughters, Prim's family pretty much forgets her sixteenth birthday. She had been counting down towards this birthday because she will no longer be treated like a child but allowed to enter society. At breakfast, her mother informs her that she must wait for her older sister to become engaged as she will not have two daughters in season while also planning a wedding. Prim decides to have one wild night, just for herself. When a scuffle separates her from her best friend she will be saved by a dashing stranger which leads to numerous hijinks and maybe a little scandal. The entire story moves quickly, primarily focusing on the evening of Prim's birthday. The last chapter or two covers about 4 days after her birthday and the repercussions of her decision.

Professional notes -
Intimacy - Kissing yes, 1 derriere grab, no sex scenes but MC does overhear couple having sex in the hedges.
Violence - bar fight, animal baiting, thieves, male character is almost mugged for money, MC is almost mugged for dress

Personal opinion:
Wonderful book. Prim's mother is a horrible woman. The hints about her sister Aster and best friend, Olympia, were a little sudden. It's hard to imagine she didn't see the "deep friendship" earlier. It may feel like instant love but it's a historical drama story in which many 16 year old girls are married off to men 20+ years their senior so a 3 year age difference and love at first sight is fine in this context. I procrastinated on this title for fear that it would take me awhile to get through. I devoured this title in one day. It was really that fun.

This was such a fun filled adventure! I loved how the title is a play on my favorite 80s movie (sixteen candles). I would definitely recommend.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group, and of course Sophie Jordan for the eARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving a review- all opinions are my own.

This was so cute. It was like a YA version of Bridgerton but the events had to move quickly to help the story progress.

I've seen people comment on how it seemed a bit like insta-love, and while I do admit the characters barely knew each other, Prim had only ever seen a couple boys outside of her home, and her visits were so limited as it was, how could she not be enamored by the handsome stranger?

Another thing people seemed to comment on was the age gap- but it was only 3 years and given her sister's marital status to way older men, this didn't bother me in the slightest, 16 and 19 isn't a big gap.

I did enjoy how things played out for Prim and loved how many little snags in her plan she ran into, yet each time she tried to think quickly on her feet and was so true to her mission. I loved watching her spirit continue through this, despite her mother and the comments she made.

This was a cute, fun little historical fiction novel that I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, HMH Books and Ms. Jordan for the chance to review an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I'd say this is a solid 3.5 star read for me. I am not sure where other reviewers are deriving the comparison to My Lady Jane. Frankly, I thought it was a riff on Sixteen Candles (I mean, the title...?) from the very beginning. Certain plot and characterization choices definitely reinforced that impression for me. I love Sixteen Candles - although I freely admit it was more magical when I was younger and Jake was just the absolute hottest thing since EVER - and I was charmed by this book. I kind of feel like it would have benefitted from a sliiiiiiiiiightly older heroine, both for maturity's sake and to erase the disparity between the two main characters, although a sixteen-year-old debutante was certainly historically accurate.

Jake, I mean Jacob, and Sam, I mean Prim, were terrific together and I enjoyed their raucous romp. Ultimately not much happens plot-wise (despite all the *events* of the night, it still was just ONE night, after all), but it was still a cute, enjoyable, fluffy little teen-appropriate romance.
((((Serious question: do teens today even read historical romance? I don't know but if I find one who does, I would certainly recommend this!))))

Who's ready for a little YA Bridgeton? That would be me, all day every day, and that's exactly what Sophie Jordan gives us in SIXTEEN SCANDALS. Like the John Hughes movie the title pays homage to, Primrose finds herself forgotten on her 16th birthday and ends up having a night she will never forget. There's a dashing young gentleman, secret identities, and streamy stolen kisses. This whole book is frothy fun, with plenty of witty dialogue worthy of Jane Austen herself. Brilliant.

This was such a fun, fresh YA historical romance! The interwoven mystery and love story set amongst regency London reminded me of Sarah MacLean's The Season, and both have made me want so much more YA regency romance. Hope Jordan's take, with its delightful characters (and adorable, eye-catching cover!) helps start the trend.

I was so happy to get a historical fiction from Sophie Jordan. I have enjoyed all the other genres she has written. This book was like the steamy yet clean Bridgerton for teens with a Cinderella twist. I wanted to smack Prim's mother so many times. Scandal was the perfect word in this title. Prim likes to push the boundaries and at just sixteen she is determined to try everything in one night she may never have the chance to try.

This story was just so fun and cute. You probably will be able to predict what might happen in the end but that did not take away from the enjoyment of being swept up in Primroses night of Scandals.

This was such a cute, light hearted YA regency-era romance. I would compare it to a very tame, YA Bridgerton-esque story that brings you all the feels (even if it's a bit predictable, not that I minded)!

Bring on the humor, regency, and butterflies as you read this delightful book about Primrose Ainsworth who is taking her sixteenth birthday seriously--even if her family isn't.

Deciding to sneak off to Vauxhall with her best friend is only the beginning of Prim's adventures. From handsome young men to spectacles she's never seen before, this is definitely a birthday Prim won't soon forget. But will she make it through the evening with her reputation unscathed, or will she be found out before the clock strikes midnight?

If you're looking for a light, YA regency romance, look no further!

Primrose is the youngest of four girls. On her sixteenth birthday her family tells her that she will not be able to have a season until the third daughter is engaged. Not only that, but they leave her home alone on her birthday while they go out and do things. She convinces her best friend, Olympia, to sneak out with her and go to Vauxhall for the night.

At Vauxhall, she gets separated from Olympia but runs into Jacob. Jacob and Prim spend the evening searching for Olympia. In the meantime they share lots of adventures and kisses. Their goodbye is abrupt and just a wave across a sea of people. Jacob learned enough about her that night though to find a way to see her again. I loved this ending and the way it all came together.

This is a very sweet, short young adult historical romance. While I would have probably loved this way more if it was an adult romance, I appreciate it for what it was! It was an adorable young adult novel!

5 stars
I received this book for free in return for an honest review.

Sixteen Candles with a dash of Ferris Buller’s Day Off but make it Regency = Regency YA Perfection!

Primrose had such high expectations for her sixteenth birthday until her family seemed to barely remember it even was her birthday and informed her that her coming out would be delayed. Determined to snatch a little slice of happiness and adventure on her special day, her and her best friend decide to sneak out to Vauxhall Gardens…unchaperoned!

Jacob and Olympia were absolutely perfect as Prim’s partners in adventure and my heart broke for Prim when confronted with her mother’s indifference and disdain in turns. But this is also a ya romance so in the end we get the kiss, the ball, and romance that Prim deserves (for me it was even better than Jake Ryan outside the church!)

The adventure, the romance, the difficult mother-daughter relationship, the friendship, and the sisterhood were so well balanced and created a story that felt at once like a classic historical romance and a modern set YA. It just goes to show that Sophie Jordan can write any genre and I’m going to love it (as long as there’s a little kissing!)

And the nods to Sixteen Candles made my heart so happy!

I received a complimentary review copy of this book but all opinions are my own.

I don’t know how it didn’t hit me from the title alone, Sixteen Scandals totally has plot or story-lines from the movie Sixteen Candles. Which, as I am a child of the 80s and of course loved most of the John Hughes movies universe, I am loving those bits! Also with the popularity of Bridgerton this past year, this book is definitely one that I think is going to be a huge hit. By the end of the book I was totally in love with the whole story! It was so much fun! I also had the final song from the Sixteen Candles movie, If You Were Here by the Thompson Twins, going through my head when I finished the book and put my e-reader away.

The story took place over one day/night really for the most part, again like the movie. And of course the reader knows who Prim’s secret ally is in the story, even if she doesn’t quite put it together till the very end. All the adventures that Prim has during the night, not all good of course, there are the people out to pick pockets and other things in the mysterious and infamous Vauxhall Gardens. I really enjoyed all the different things that went on, getting a look at what people of the time might have found amusing, whether it be actually interesting, or somewhat upsetting. It was nice to see that Primrose really did have more people in her corner in the end than she assumed, but man did I want to slap her mother so much! I also wonder what happened to her friend Olympia during the time they were separated, and wonder if the author could possibly do a companion story about her night.

I’ve been a fan of Sophie Jordan’s YA books for a long time, and this one makes me think I need to read some of her adult romances that might be similar to this one. I’ll probably end up adding this to my new school library next year.

<i>"She'd already vowed there would be only this one night of adventure. One night in which she had to make every moment count. A moment to be a little more Prim, and a little less proper."</i>

<b>Lesson I Learned Reading This Book: don't be taken in by the cover.</b>
The last few books I read have had similar covers: bold-pastel covers, the title in a soft-white font, and the main characters featured prominently in an animated-style (I don't mean cartoonish...but they look like characters on an animated TV show or something. Ugh. Art is not my thing.)
The point is -- the cover for this book was similar, and I assumed -- mistakenly -- that this would be a fun Regency romp with some historical elements thrown in.

That....was *not* what I got.

What I actually read made a lot more sense after I scrolled through Sophie Jordan's Author page. The majority of her books -- and she is quite the prolific author -- feature women in slightly-old-timey dresses displaying prominent amounts of cleavage, sometimes falling against a dashing duke or roguish rake and also have titles like "The Duke's Stolen Bride" or "A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin."

Soooo....Romance, then. But YA Romance? Romance-Light? IDK. I struggle with the term romance as it's used now, because what "romance" usually describes is more surface-level attraction (a.k.a. lust). Which is FINE -- but not romance, IMHO. Regardless, this is like a gateway book to more raunchy, steamy "romance" novels, which...IDK how I feel about that. There were efforts to make it seem like Jacob was attracted to Prim for more than her looks because She Reads! She Has Opinions! She Isn't Shallow! But it's ultimately one-sided because Prim is attracted to Jacob because he's hot and because...he doesn't rape her? I guess? Low bar.

I wavered a long time between 2 and 3 stars, but ultimately rounded up to 3 because, in truth, I couldn't put the book down. I may not have always liked what I read, but Jordan did "hook" me, so that justified rounding up.

The story made a lot more "sense" to me once I started thinking of it as a retelling of Disney's <i>Cinderella</i> (with a dash of <i>Beauty and the Beast</i>). I went into this thinking I'd get a YA version of Jane Austen -- something to tide me over until Mackenzi Lee's next Regency book comes out -- or even a YA version of Bridgerton. And, I suppose, given the "romance" aspect of it, it is fairly close to Bridgerton -- just not nearly developed enough for my tastes. If you want a Regency-inspired story, Mackenzi Lee's books have well-rounded characters, REAL diversity, and so much wit; and Alison Goodman's Dark Days series are more historically accurate while adding that supernatural twist. (Vauxhall Gardens also figures prominently, but Helen, for instance, actually wrestles with the guilt of her attraction and doesn't just tumble into the hedges with the first cute guy who smiles at her.)

Here's what worked for me:

✔︎ -- Again, this made more sense to me when I started thinking of it as a Cinderella story, just set in Regency England. Prim is the invisible, fourth daughter -- with some not-so-ugly sisters but a truly awful mother. We reinstate the Bio-Mom-As-Villain that the Grimms edited out of a lot of their fairy tales (replacing her with a step-mother because, duh, women are meant to be maternal and nurturing and caring and we must protect the Sanctity of Mothers!) who genuinely shows no regard for her youngest daughter because....plot? Who knows. Prim is "homely" and a "hoyden" and that justifies her utter loathing, but these are relatively flat characters, so I suppose it doesn't matter. On Prim's birthday, she vows to sneak out, gets all dolled up by her fairy godmother (aka her BFF), has a scandalous evening of fun and hijinks at Vauxhall Gardens, gets separated from her Prince Charming, locked in her room by her mother, and rescued at a ball, after which they all live happily ever after. And Jordan did make efforts to "fix" the love-at-first-sight plot because they spend a whole evening together, apparently talking for hours without running out of things to say even though Prim, by her own admission, doesn't get out much.

And I say there's a dash of <i>Beauty and the Beast</i> because Prim spends a good deal of the story lamenting her "provincial life" and "wanting so much more than they've got planned" only to be content to marry the first dashing man who looks her way. Yes, we can assume that she may travel the world and attend protests, but we don't *see* it, so it doesn't count in my book.

✔︎ -- I also appreciated Prim's frustration with her situation, and her pointing out the inequality and injustice of it all. She was surprisingly woke for a 16-year-old-sheltered girl in Regency England -- commenting on everything from poor workhouse conditions to gender inequities -- and Jacob was surprisingly receptive to it, validating her points and not condemning her for her opinions. I mean, the characters in <i>Downton Abbey</i> are still struggling with those issues a century later, so not historically accurate, of course, but still. Appreciated.

What I'm "Meh" About:
﹅ -- It's worth noting that the "romance" here *is* kept chaste. I don't know why Jordan was inspired to write to a YA audience, and that's not to say that YA books can't have steamy sex scenes. They can, and they should. But, all Jacob and Prim do here is kiss -- which would have been ruinous enough in Regency England -- and while it is described in similar language to more mature romances, we don't get pass a PG display of <s>affection</s> hormones.
And, TBH, I skipped those pages entirely. The little I did read -- a kiss that "deepened until she knew the shape and texture and taste of him" or "became a thing that was its own life" -- made me eyeroll so hard.

﹅ -- Prim had red hair. Which...yeah, okay, points for not making her a waifish blonde, but that feeds the stereotypes about passionate redheads and whatnot...and which were complicated during the Regency era. It also seemingly justifies her mother's cruelty because people with red-hair were believed to be possessed by the Devil or have fiery tempers/natures, etc. (See also: why Ariel has red hair in <i>The Little Mermaid</i>.)

What Didn't Work For Me:
✘ -- The "romance." Not what I thought I was getting, and I was a little salty about that. The characters are flat and the writing melodramatic at times, because of course, that's not what we're here for. It also feels very Insta-Love -- since the majority of the story takes place in ONE NIGHT.

✘ -- Prim is Very Naive. Again, because this is a Romance, it makes sense that our heroine is dewy-eyed and sheltered. She's Pure of Heart! And The Goodest! But--ugh. It got on my nerves quickly.

✘ -- The writing style was not my favorite. One, it was like Jordan just inserted a few "old-timey" words -- "whilst" seems to be a favorite -- to make it sound older. And two, her chapters would often be stalled while Prim went on an inner-monologue tangent that disrupted the action. There was so much emphasis on how Prim was only Slightly Rebellious and would never dishonor her family or how it was Just One Night that she wanted.

✘ -- The half-hearted, lackluster attempts at diversity. Yes, Regency England was predominantly white -- and it's unfair to judge Jordan against something like Bridgerton, which makes an effort to include diversity (but had to invent an alternate history to make that happen).
Here...Mrs. Zaher and Olympia are...brown. Ambiguously brown -- like Naveen from <i>The Princess and the Frog</i>. They're from Andalusia -- which Wikipedia tells me is a southern region of Spain that was once under Moorish rule. So, again, being from that region with brown skin and dark hair, they could either be tanned Spanish or North African Muslims. (Yay, Othello!) Either way, it's (1) ambiguous, which is not great; and (2) irrelevant because their race doesn't add much to the story -- it just further Others them. Mrs. Zaher is already a performer, so the fact that she works and earns her money would be enough -- if their race mattered, she would be independently wealthy and not Othered by her vocation.
Then there's the borderline-queerbaiting at the end. Again, these are secondary characters -- and they're so flat, it's painful -- but it's implied that Olympia and Aster are....what? Together? Attracted to each other? IDK, because it's literally referenced in the last 8% of the book because they "hold hands." It's not necessary and adds NOTHING to the story.
Aster and Olympia exist mainly to further Prim's storyline, and even though Olympia helps Prim by getting her ready and accompanying her to Vauxhall, they're separated within minutes and Olympia vanishes from most of the story. I don't think she has any lines after Prim returns home? I might be wrong on that, but the point stands: the "diversity" here seems lackluster and half-hearted like it was added on to pre-empt criticisms of another white Regency story.

An easy read, to be sure, but not one which I would keep on my shelf to either reread or ensure my kids have access to. For Regency reads, I'll stick with Lee and Goodman who offer more substance and wit in their stories. But then, Romance has never been my thing.

Many thanks to NetGalley for sending me an eARC in exchanged for an honest review!

Sixteen Scandals by Sophie Jordan follows Primrose, newly sixteen, as she disregards a lady's guide to etiquette by running away for a night for a risky adventure at Vauxhall. Upon getting separated by her best friend, Olympia, Primson meets the mysterious Jacob -- clearly nobility, although he refuses to elaborate. As the pair travel through the dangerous and exciting Vauxhall in search of Olympia, Prim is introduced to a world bigger and brighter than she'd imagined -- and now, with only one night to experience everything, she isn't sure how she'll be able to stomach going back to life as she knew it.

This story had a lot of potential. It was pretty cute, but very little happened -- everything felt very rushed and under developed, and I didn't feel like I had enough time with any of the characters to feel particularly attached to them. Prim as a main character felt split in terms of the writing. One moment I felt like I was reading from the POV of a twenty-something -- the next, a middle schooler. The writing also strove for a more victorian-era style, and although it definitely wasn't terrible, there were also many cheesy and overly-modern turns of phrases/words that took me out of the story. Regardless, it could serve as a good introduction to historical fiction for particularly young readers, but I hesitate to suggest that because of the romance.

The romance... could definitely have been fun, if it weren't for the fact that there is pretty an unnecessary age gap. Three years is perfectly fine when both are consenting adults -- not so much when the girl is 16 and has practically no knowledge of the real world. There's a pretty severe power imbalance at play by the end of this story. Also, writing pretty detailed makeout scenes featuring a 16 year old is just... kind of gross and wholly unnecessary?

This wasn't for me, in the end. There were a lot of moments that I had fun with, and I always enjoy a rogue noble thrown into the havoc of real life, but I just needed... more, in all areas.

When her parents refuse to allow Primrose to come out as promised on her sixteenth birthday, she rebels. She sneaks out that night and goes to Vauxhall Gardens with her BFF. The two get separated during a tavern brawl, and Prim ends up under the protection of a handsome, mysterious stranger. Falling into one adventure after another, can Prim keep her identity secret and her reputation intact?

It takes a bit of hubris to compare this YA Regency romp to Austen and Shakespeare, but whatever. Aside from being utterly implausible, it's pretty standard Regency fare—but probably educational and a bit of fun for young teen readers new to the genre.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I thought this was going to be something like a YA Bridgerton, and I suppose it is in most general terms, and might hold appeal for those who are looking for extremely light and fairly modest Regency romance. However, the main character lacks an engaging personality (or, frankly, consistency - she seems to be by turns smart/educated and silly, rebellious and retiring as required by the narrative) as does the love interest, and the romance feels like it has little in the way of either chemistry or substance. Additionally, while "in one day/night" romances can work (Brandy Colbert's The Voting Booth and Rachel Lynn Solomon's Today Tonight Tomorrow being recent examples) the pacing and plotting here is ineffective; each occurrence seems episodic and doesn't seem to have particular impact on the overall atmosphere or characterization.

SIXTEEN SCANDALS by Sophie Jordan is a YA novel set in regency London. The story follows Primrose on her sixteenth birthday, after her mom drops the worst news ever: Prim won’t be coming out in society that night like she expected. In fact, Prim’s debut is completely postponed until her older sister, Astrid, is married off, and that task is proving more and more difficult. Determined to mark the special day, Prim sneaks away in the late evening with her friend, Olympia. They travel down to Vauxhaul, an island full of wonders, but they’re separated in a tavern brawl. Luckily for Prim, a handsome, young man, Jacob, swoops in to rescue her, and together, they embark on quite an adventure, making it a night Prim won’t soon forget.

This is the kind of story I absolutely love – it’s light, romantic, and funny. I actually found myself laughing out loud multiple times as the author does a great job with contrast. For instance, at the beginning of each chapter, we get an excerpt from a book on propriety about how young ladies are supposed to act. Then, in the following chapter, we get to see Prim break that rule. Prim feels suffocated by these expectations, and as such, sexism and gender are a few underlying themes. Through Prim, Jordan points out how unfair the lack of freedom is for women, in comparison to their male counterparts. She explores class differences as well.

That being said, there are a couple of elements keeping this book from truly shining. The first is the dialogue. It oftentimes feels like the characters just say phrases that the readers expect for this genre and time period, rather than being authentic. The pacing also feels rushed at the end. The whole time I was reading it, I was expecting this book to be a setup for a series, but then it sped up, making the ending less impactful.

With that in mind, SIXTEEN SCANDALS is perfect for new regency readers. It’s an enjoyable mashup of a more PG BRIDGERTON and a more adult CINDERELLA. It has a fairytale quality rather than a realistic one, and will appeal to readers with those sensibilities.

Actual rating - 3.75

I thought this story was a lot of fun. I expected it to feel more like Sixteen Candles, based on the title and synopsis, but this felt a little more like Cinderella, but make it Regency.

Primrose is the youngest daughter in a family of all girls and despite it being her 16th birthday, her mother still refuses to allow her out in society. Primrose is tired of feeling lonely and alone while everyone else has all the fun and so she and her best friend dress up and sneak out for a wild night at Vauxhall, where shenanigans ensue.

I think I was about halfway through the story when I realized this was a romance novel, and I was enjoying myself enough that I didn't even care. This might be the first time I actually enjoyed a historical romance! I really liked the character of Primrose, I thought she was a great protagonist. I do wish we could have gotten more time with her friend Olympia - I feel like their dynamic could have been a bit more developed, but I really liked Jacob too, he was a much better character than Jake Ryan. I also liked that there was some discussion about gender roles in society and expectations about the way a woman should behave.

Overall this was a fun Regency-era romp and I will be interested to see what the author writes next.

Trigger warnings: animal cruelty (dog fights, bear baiting)

As the title suggests, this is a Regency-era Sixteen Candles. Primrose's family doesn't care about her sixteenth birthday because they have a wedding coming up and a match to find for another sister.

Primrose has three older sisters -- one married, one engaged, and one "out" in society looking for a match. It's Aster's third season, so time is running out to find her a fiancé. Prim's mother doesn't want to have two daughters out at once again, so Prim's birthday hopes of being able to go to parties and balls are dashed.

Prim decides to make her birthday memorable by sneaking out with best friend Olympia to Vauxhall across the Thames. Vauxhall is filled with taverns and entertainments not fit for reputable ladies. When Olympia and Prim are separated in a tavern brawl, Prim is rescued by a handsome stranger and her night becomes even more interesting.

The novel is a quick and entertaining read, as the adventures in Vauxhall take up the majority of the book. Prim is an intelligent, independent teenager so she is appealing to modern readers.

Recommended for fans of Regency romance. This chaste romance is a good starting point for teens interested in the genre.

Sixteen Scandals recalls a few days, mostly one day, in Primrose's life that changes her future.

Primrose turns 16 today, so she can now go out into society. It's 1821. Primrose is the youngest of four sisters and is excited to finally be out at parties and visit people instead of being at home. Home is boring--she's finished her schooling and her parents refuse to give her more. At breakfast, Prim has a rude awakening. Her parents don't even acknowledge her birthday. She reminds them. They reply that she isn't going out into society until her nearest oldest sister becomes engaged. Wow. Prim's morning just turned her wonderful birthday expectations into complete disappointment.

Prim meets her best friend and they decide to celebrate Prim's 16th birthday. She dons a mask and they go to Vauxhall Gardens for some fun. Needless to say a few things happen and Prim finds herself in trouble--it's wilder than she imagined. Rescued by a gentleman, they proceed to spend most of the night getting to know each other and staying safe and maybe even doing a little bit of kissing on the side. This night continues to be full of surprises.

The reader will quickly figure out who the gentleman actually is. The whole book is just fun. It's silly, non-realistic, and just a wonderful escape and a chance to giggle and roll your eyes while enjoying a happily ever after.